In a statement to Newsweek about Nehlen’s suspension, a Twitter official said:

While we normally do not comment on individual accounts, I can confirm that we have permanently suspended this account for repeated violations of our terms of service.

The picture, which had been superimposed by Nehlen, showed Meghan Markle‘s face replaced by that of Cheddar Man, one of the oldest skeletons found in the UK, and who experts believe had dark skin.

Markle’s co-star in the legal drama Suits, Patrick J. Adams, said Nehlen was a ‘a sad and sick man with no sense of shame or class’.

Oh @pnehlen – you’re a sad and sick man with no sense of shame or class. Get a life. And don’t go anywhere near MM – she’s got more power, strength, honor and compassion in her fingernail than you’ll ever know in this lifetime. Way above your weight class.

You’re a sad and sick man with no sense of shame or class. Get a life. And don’t go anywhere near MM – she’s got more power, strength, honor and compassion in her fingernail than you’ll ever know in this lifetime. Way above your weight class.

In a Tweet on Sunday (February 11) and linking to a report by the Mirror, Nehlen defended the posting writing:

Publishing an article *disappearing whites* or *dispossessing whites* of their homelands is wrong; made worse when claiming ‘science’ to ‘prove’ whites never existed.

I made a joke of it. It’s not a laughing matter, so I chose to laugh about it.

This racist POS is running for Congress (I won’t RT the original image of Markle he tweeted earlier). But we need to send the message that “candidates” like this have no place in our government and we’d be happy if they live the rest of there lives under the darkest rock. pic.twitter.com/XoDHCmbOK1

I accept and embrace the consequences and punishment for the things I have said, which was indeed tactless at the least and disgusting at worst – and lots of it doesn’t really represent my core beliefs.